Black & Veatch win Thames Water contract

Black & Veatch have won a contract to expand and improve sludge treatment operations at Thames Water's Basingstoke and Bracknell Sewage Treatment Works.

The works will involve converting liquid treated waste into a sludge cake, which reduces the risk of nitrate pollution run-off when introduced as a soil improver.

These improvements will help ensure compliance with nitrate pollution prevention regulations.

Efficiencies will also be made in the transport of the sludge. Moving the sludge cake rather than liquid sludge off site requires fewer vehicle movements.

As a result lorry movements will be reduced by 50% at Basingstoke and 80% for Bracknell.

The upgrades are part of a £5 billion programme that Thames Water is carrying out to improve water pipes, sewers and other facilities in London and the Thames Valley.

Black & Veatch contract manager, Martin Ellis, said: "Thames Water recycles all of its sludge for beneficial reuse purposes, the majority of which is used as a nutrient-rich fertiliser for agricultural land use."

"The facilities at Bracknell in Berkshire and Basingstoke in Hampshire form part of the utility's sludge management strategy.

"These are innovative, high-profile schemes to enable Thames Water to meet their regulatory compliance while maintaining the continued high performance of each facility." Alison Brown